I think most of you are familiarized with the social problems of Venezuela for these last couple of years. Hugo Chavez has been the president of Venezuela since 1999, and his mandate will end, if it actually does, in 2013. He has impulsed this new political system called "The Bolivarianist Revolution" or "Socialism of the XXI century", which has only caused terrible problems for the people. He has changed the constitution and each day he is gaining more power, while people are just losing their liberty. His primary idea is to convert Venezuela into a communist nation like Cuba, in which the dictator will be him. He doesn't think that one country is enough; actually he wants Latin-America to follow this same path, as he has mentioned it when he addresses the Bolivarian Integration.
What would Mill think about this? I really think he would be absolutely against Chavez. One of the policies that Chavez has implemented was to shut certain means of communication down. So, I think this will be completely against Mill's believes, because then people will not be able to express their thoughts or ideas. Mill believed that diversity and individuality were necessary components for reaching happiness and progress. He stated that when individuals cannot express their ideas, their lives will be empty, and they will have a lack of energy.
I commented on Kyle's post, Mill with a touch of Bentham.
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I believe that Mill would DEFFINATELY be against Chavez. I was able to go to Venezuela a couple of years ago, and most of the Venezuelans that I met were against Chavez. He' a tyrant, who is trying to get more power for HIMSELF, and really cares nothing for the greater good of the people that he leads.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. Mill would say Chavez's selfish quest for power was hurting millions, stripping them of their liberty and right to everything they've always known. Liberty isn't just limited to thoughts, but actions as well. If the Venezuelans aren't allowed to put their thoughts into actions, is it really a "better life" as Chavez called it? Personally, I think he just wants to travel as far from American politics as he can just to spite us. Also, I wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to get us to intervene as we did in Iraq so that he could call on Russia and Cuba for war to further freefall our economy and destroy us. But the last part's just my opinion.
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